1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication networks and, more particularly, to architecture for a high-speed, high-frequency wireless system.
2. Description of Related Art
As the world becomes more reliant on electronic devices, and portable devices, the desire for faster and more convenient devices has increased. Accordingly, producers of such devices strive to create faster, easier to use, and more cost-effective devices to serve the needs of consumers.
Indeed, the demand for ultra-high data rate wireless communication has increased, in particular due to the emergence of many new multimedia applications. Due to some limitations in these high data rates, the need for ultra-high speed personal area networking (PAN) and point-to-point or point-to-multipoint data links becomes vital.
Conventional wireless local area networks (WLAN), e.g., 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g standards, are limited, in the best case, to a data rate of only 54 Mb/s. Other high speed wireless communications, such as ultra wide band (UWB) and multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) systems can extend the data rate to approximately 100 Mb/s.
To push through the gigabit per second (Gb/s) spectrum, either spectrum efficiency or the available bandwidth must be increased. Consequently, recent development of technologies and systems operating at the millimeter-wave (MMW) frequencies increases with this demand for more speed.
Fortunately, governments have made available several GHz (gigahertz) bandwidth unlicensed Instrumentation, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) bands in the 60 GHz spectrum. For instance, the United States, through its Federal Communications Commission (FCC), allocated 59-64 GHz for unlicensed applications in the United States. Likewise, Japan allocated 59-66 GHz for high speed data communications. Also, Europe allocated 59-62, 62-63, and 65-66 GHz for mobile broadband and WLAN communications. The availability of frequencies in this spectrum presents an opportunity for ultra-high speed short-range wireless communications.
Converting a signal from analog to digital at such high frequencies and at such high speeds is currently not cost effective. Also, line of sight is required to transmit at such frequencies and speed, so an obstruction in the wireless communication can slow, or even stop, transmission of communication.
What is needed, therefore, is an assembly for ultra-high frequencies (approximately 60 GHz) and ultra-high speeds (approximately 10 Gb/s) to convert from an analog signal to a digital signal that is low cost. Furthermore, a device adapted to operate when an obstruction, or severe shadowing, occurs is needed. It is to such a device that the present invention is primarily detected.